


Eternity

by lizwontcry



Category: CSI
Genre: Drama, F/M, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-07
Updated: 2011-01-07
Packaged: 2017-10-14 12:52:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/149410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizwontcry/pseuds/lizwontcry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After sharing an office for a couple of months, it becomes clear that Riley has a crush on Nick. Greg has a crush on Nick. Nick has a crush on both of them. And this is what happens when they try to work it out in the bedroom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Eternity

**A/N - This is not exactly what I had in mind, but it is my first time writing in Riley's POV, and also my first trip into the world of slash. So thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy. I'll be over here, banging my head against the wall.** **Written for the Geekfiction Smutathon, prompts perfume and begging.**

* * *

In the bright sun of the day when most people were working, she slept in a room covered in dark curtains to keep the Las Vegas sun out. When most people were planning what to have for dinner, she was deep in a sleepy, dreamy haze. In her dreams, she knew things that she instantly forgot once the night came for her again. Upon waking up to the moon and the stars covered by the dark, she'd be disappointed. Because in all of her days, she never experienced the passion she felt in her dreams.

Sometimes the men in her dreams were faceless and naked. They would just show up long enough to devour her completely. Sometimes it was men from her past who came to make amends and ended up making love to her on the kitchen table. Sometimes it was women. Sometimes it was men she knew at work who said the right words to her, and somehow, she always knew the right thing to say back.

Those dreams were always the most disappointing, because when she drove into work and saw Nick or Greg or sometimes even Hodges (well, that was more like a nightmare), she'd remember a snippet of her dream and wonder what it would take, what it would be like, for it to become a reality.

In her dreams, she was the woman she wanted to be when she was awake.'

* * *

Riley Adams knew a lot of things about a lot of things. She knew all about forensics, anatomy, blood spatter patterns. She knew how to make Thai Chicken Pasta, sew a button on a shirt, and change the oil in her car. She even knew a lot more than most people about the 1970s New York Yankees. But put her in a room with a man, give her a glass of wine and some candles, and she didn't know what to do with herself.

That's why she found sharing an office with two of her male co-workers so interesting. When Nick asked if she wanted to share the office with him and Greg once Grissom flew the coop, she happily agreed. Keeping her stuff in the locker room was not exactly convenient, and she longed to just sit down every once in a while at the end of a long day (or night).

The three of them had issues with the office at first; they weren't used to sharing a small space together for any amount of time. Although, Riley noticed, it was much easier for Greg and Nick to acclimate than it was for them to acclimate to her. For a while, she felt like the third wheel. After all, she was still the new girl and Greg and Nick had worked together for more than a decade. But she still found herself wanting to be accepted by both of them; she wanted to be friends with these guys.

So she took a few weeks to observe. When all three of them were in the office, she'd watch how they interacted and talked and moved. Riley would pretend to be reading or filling out paperwork, but really, all she wanted to do was watch Nick and Greg. Because as the weeks went by, she was noticing a fascinating dynamic.

"Have you guys seen my sunglasses anywhere?" Nick asked, looking through piles of papers on his desk. "I could have sworn they were right here..."

"Did you check the glove compartment of the Tahoe?" Greg said knowingly. "You put them in there sometimes when it gets cloudy, and yesterday there was a storm, remember?"

Nick looked thoughtful, then trotted out of the office. Greg and Riley waited patiently for his return. A few minutes later, Nick came back, sunglasses in hand.

"Hey, thanks, Greggo. You always seem to know where I leave my stuff. What would I do without you?" Nick touched Greg's shoulder on the way back to his desk. Then they shared a grin that lasted, in Riley's opinion, a few seconds too long.

It wasn't the first time she noticed their looks that she perceived as longing. Even if she didn't know squat about relationships, she could still see there was something besides friendship going on with these guys.

Maybe romance was in the back of everyone's minds because of Grissom's impulsive but totally necessary getaway to Costa Rica to be with Sara. Riley didn't know the whole story on what happened between the two of them, but she knew it was a long time in the making. Instead of the scandal it could have been, it seemed like everyone in the lab was happy for their former supervisor and colleague. They all missed Grissom and Sara, but knowing they were together somewhere in the jungle was comfort enough.

So romance was definitely in the air, it seemed. And after a few weeks of observing Nick and Greg's interesting habits and behaviors-just like her psychiatrist parents unknowingly taught her to do-something else started happening. Maybe it was because Riley was giving off some kind of vibe; maybe she was putting herself out there without even realizing it, but both Nick and Greg started reacting to her more than usual. It was almost as if there were a silent competition going on, and Riley wasn't sure what-or who-the prize was supposed to be.

"Hey, Riley, are you wearing some kind of perfume today? I kept smelling perfume all day." Nick asked her when they came back from a crime scene. The scene, a multiple murder in the back alley of the Tangiers, had been brutal and disturbing. It was also the beginning of a humid, rainy February morning; the kind of morning that was meant to be spent under the covers. All Riley wanted to do was go home and take a shower, but she had paperwork to do first. And flirt with Nick, too, of course.

"I don't wear perfume," she said.

"Why not?"

"I don't know, I've just never really liked it. My mom always wanted me to wear make-up and put on some perfume, but I was never that kind of girl."

Nick smiled. "Well, you don't need perfume OR make-up. You smell-and look-good without them."

Riley was also not the kind of girl who blushed when given a compliment. But Nick was grinning, and his arms looked really good in that t-shirt, and she found his accent, which was more pronounced when he was either mad or flirtatious, completely adorable.

"Well, thank you, Nick. You don't smell so bad yourself today, even after a disgusting, traumatizing, steaming hot murder scene."

Nick laughed. "You know, I had this girlfriend once who wore a perfume I hated. I don't know what it was, but it was not pleasant. I bought her some Eternity, my favorite scent, and she refused to wear it because she liked her crap better. She was a beautiful girl, but that perfume made me want to vomit. Eventually I had to break up with her because she wore it every time we went out."

"Wow, I'd hate to be the girl you dumped because of perfume," Riley said.

"Jesus, get a room, you guys," Greg said from behind them. Nick and Riley turned around to look at their bitter co-worker.

"Ah, Greg, you smell good, too," Riley said. "What kind of perfume are you wearing?"

He scoffed and walked quickly to his desk. He clearly was not a fan of this flirting. But a week later, while Nick was out with Catherine and Ray on a Smash and Grab, he made his own move.

"Are you finished with that book yet?" Greg asked her. "I was hoping to get some reading in when I get home today."

Riley borrowed Greg's copy of _Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers_ before he had the chance to read it. It was actually an interesting book and she wanted Greg to read it so he could get as much out of it as she did.

She brought it out of a drawer in her desk. She made a move to give it to him, but then brought it back to her desk.

"What, are you going to make me beg for it?" He asked mischievously.

"Oh, yeah, I'd make you beg for it," Riley said, forgetting what they were talking about in the first place. "Would you beg for it?"

"I don't have to beg for it. I can get my own book. Except...I prefer the one you have."

"So come get it then," she said, feeling both ridiculous and fabulous.

Greg came over to her desk. Then closer. Then closer, until he was practically in her lap. Riley wasn't even that attracted to Greg, but sometimes, in the right light, there was something about him. She tried to hold out; she tried to keep the book in her hands. But he looked in her eyes and smiled that infamous Greg Sanders smile, and she felt herself handing him the book.

"Too bad," he said. "I would have begged for it."

And the blushing was back. What was going on here? Why were these two boys, cute as they both were, having this effect on her? She was slightly ashamed of herself, yes. Because when it came down to it, Riley talked a big game. She flirted back, and initiated some of her own flirting. But what if Greg had tried to kiss her? He'd know when he kissed her that she wasn't prepared for that to happen. He'd call her bluff. And that's what made everything just a little more interesting.

* * *

The temperature continued to rise both outside and inside the office. Greg and Nick, whether they knew it or not, were competing for Riley's attention. Nick did it the old-fashioned way, mostly. He'd compliment Riley frequently, whether it was on her shoes or her hair or once even on her evidence photography techniques. He'd ask her to breakfast after a long night, or sometimes to dinner before work. They mostly kept it friendly on these outings, but there was still the undercurrent of something else.

Greg, however, used his reputation as the class clown to get her attention. Whoopee cushions were his favorite. The first time she sat down on one and the sound of flatulence hit the atmosphere, Greg laughed and laughed and laughed.

"What are you, 12?" Riley asked her co-worker. "Seriously, I didn't even know they made these anymore!"

"It's from my personal collection," Greg said. "There's so much more where that came from."

This did not surprise Riley. It also didn't surprise her when he switched her _Evidence Technology Magazine_ with a 2003 issue of _Penthouse._ And when he hid her car keys in his underwear. These were all juvenile jokes, even for Greg, and while it did make her laugh, she wasn't all that impressed. If Nick and Greg were actually competing, Nick would win by a landslide.

Riley wished she knew if they had a crush on her (weren't they too old for crushes?) or if they were trying to get each other's attention through her. Sometimes Riley got the feeling that neither of these boys actually wanted to go out with her. Instead, they were merely using her as a messenger to get their own feelings across.

When it was quiet in the office and the three of them were doing their own thing, Riley would again wonder what was going on between Nick and Greg. She did understand the concept of male friendships and knew that just because two men were close, that didn't mean they wanted to be lovers, obviously. But the way Nick and Greg interacted; the way they looked at each other, the way they talked, the way they used any little excuse to touch each other, she was pretty sure there was something else there. And it was starting to become very frustrating for her to be caught in the middle of whatever was going on. So she started formulating a plan. If her plan worked the way she thought it would, then she'd be closer to an answer. And if not, she'd get closer to Nick. It seemed like a win-win situation in her mind, because either way, somebody was going to get laid.

* * *

About 2 months after Ray's first day as a CSI, he took his co-workers and new friends to breakfast. Instead of the usual, he took them to the Bellagio to indulge in the breakfast buffet. Ray was feeling good about his new career and wanted to share in the joy.

"It's on me, so make sure you get my money's worth," Ray told everyone. "Two trips to the buffet minimum! No guilt!"

Everyone chuckled and nodded in agreement. They weren't quite used to Ray's somewhat dorky sense of humor yet.

Ray and Catherine went off by themselves while Riley, Greg and Nick sat at the children's table, as they dubbed it. Riley was almost dreading this; the testosterone in their shared office had become nearly unbearable lately with all the unresolved sexual-or whatever it was-tension. But she was ready to put this plan in action, and this was the perfect time to do it.

When Greg got up for a third trip to the buffet, Riley leaned in and smiled at Nick. He ate a forkful of eggs and smiled back at her.

"Something on your mind, girl?"

"Yep," Riley said, trying her best to be perceived as "flirtatious."

"Want to let me in on it?"

"Well...okay. I was wondering if you wanted to have breakfast tomorrow after shift. And I don't mean at a buffet." Oh, god, she sounded so unnatural. She was not good at this. However, Nick didn't seem to notice.

"Hmm, okay, I got it. You want to come to my place? We can rent a movie, I can make some pancakes. Or not."

Riley grinned. Greg came back to the table with, believe it or not, a stack of pancakes. Riley and Nick giggled to themselves.

"What? I know I'm a funny guy, but I didn't even say anything."

"Oh, nothing, Greggo," Nick said. Riley waited. If her theory was right, that wasn't going to be the end of the conversation.

Greg shrugged and put syrup on his pancakes.

Nick looked at Greg for a moment and considered. Riley waited some more.

"Riley's coming over tomorrow for breakfast. I'm going to make pancakes. And then you brought pancakes back to the table. This amused us."

Greg chuckled. "Nice. I'm glad I could amuse you in this way."

The three of them ate in silence for a few minutes. Again, Riley could feel an unrelenting tension settle over the three of them. She hoped this plan worked so they could all move on with their lives.

"Can I come? You make the best pancakes, Nicky." Greg said. Nick and Riley first looked at Greg, then at each other. Nick raised an eyebrow. Riley nodded slightly to indicate it was okay. This was even better than her plan, which was to see if Greg stopped by spontaneously to see what was going on. No, this was an interesting new development, and she couldn't wait to see what happened next.

* * *

24 hours later, Riley found herself sitting at Nick's kitchen table, Greg by her side. Nick was making pancakes, and they were all drinking a morning beer. While none of them generally drank alcohol so early in the morning, there was an unspoken agreement that it was the way to go.

"Can you believe that ex-wife?" Greg was saying. "Such a hottie, and yet completely batshit crazy."

"The hotties usually are," Riley said. "But yeah, that woman was insane. I'm shocked she wasn't who murdered her husband."

The night shift had all worked together on a grisly scene involving a dry cleaning shop that was burned to the ground with a man inside of it. After a lot of processing and a little luck, Brass busted the donut shop's owner from next door, who was irritated with the smells that came from the dry cleaner's. The victim's ex-wife intervened at every corner, making the investigation a lot more annoying.

"Not all hotties are batshit insane," Nick said, and winked at her. Riley's heart fluttered just a little bit. Riley and Nick had been crossing paths all night long during shift, and he'd always find some little thing to say to make her blush again, or he'd touch her arm, or he'd compliment her. She thought that maybe this was all leading up to something, but she didn't know for sure. All she knew was that her crush on Nick Stokes was starting to get a little out of control.

Also out of control was Greg. If Nick was being sweet to her, Greg was just being a pest. Nick told her at one point that he used to be that way with Sara, who tolerated it a lot more than Riley planned to. She liked Greg; he was a funny guy. But he just wasn't doing it for her romantically. And now that they were all in Nick's tiny kitchen, everyone's role in this one act play they were putting on for each other was on display.

Nick delivered the pancakes to his hungry guests. Riley sat in the middle of the boys, trying not to get syrup on herself. Greg and Nick talked about the upcoming college basketball games and in general ignored her. But then a piece of pancake fell off her fork and landed in her lap. It wasn't a big deal; she could have wiped it off with her napkin. But Nick bounced off his chair and ran to the sink, grabbed a paper towel, got it wet, and bounded over to her, all in mere seconds.

"Let me get that for you," he said. She let him. He wiped the syrup off her shirt very gently, and for one tense and horny second, grazed her stomach with 2 fingers. It was not by accident. He was looking in her eyes when this happened, and she could tell he was trying to say something. But Greg was sitting right next to them, watching the whole thing. Usually he would have taken that moment to say something sarcastic, but instead he just kept eating his pancakes.

"So," Nick said, clearing his throat. "Um, Greggo, didn't you say you brought a movie? Let's watch a movie before we end up crashing, huh?"

"Oh, yeah, sure. I brought _Signs."_

Nick laughed. He laughed a lot. Greg joined in. Riley was irritated.

"Am I missing something here?"

Nick couldn't stop laughing long enough to answer her question, so Greg answered it.

"You've seen it, right?" Greg asked her. She nodded. "Well, the part at the end where Mel Gibson sees the reflection of the alien on the TV, well, Nick and I saw that movie and he...well..."

He and Nick were laughing way too hard for Greg to complete his sentence. Riley was again annoyed.

"Let me guess-Nick peed his pants."

Greg and Nick stared at her, like how could she possibly know that?

"I know so many people who literally peed in their pants during that movie," she said, unimpressed. "But I'm glad you guys have a good memory together."

"One of many," Greg said. "One of many."

Riley was starting to understand what was going on here. She had a crush on Nick. Nick may have a crush on her. Greg also had a crush on Nick. And Nick maybe had a crush on Greg. And now Greg was trying to get the point across to Riley that she may be cute and flirtatious, but he and Nick had a history, and there was no way she could get in between that.

"Just put the movie in, Greggo," Nick said. They all settled in on Nick's leather sofa, bringing their beers with them. Nick sat in the middle, which Riley thought was just fucking typical. But she was determined to enjoy this morning and whatever it may bring, so she let herself relax on the sofa and watch the movie.

Before the movie started, Nick whispered, "I like your perfume. You smell good."

"Thanks," Riley said. "It's Eternity."

Nick raised his eyebrows, but grinned in the sexiest way possible. Riley could very easily get used to that grin.

They both settled into movie-watching mode. After about 30 minutes of the movie, Nick somehow inched closer to her. His hand found hers and held it gently. His hand was warm and comforting, with the promise of something more. It certainly made Riley forget about the movie for a few minutes while she got lost in the sensation.

This hand-holding lasted for an unending hour. Just when Merrill was about to swing away, Nick put his hand on Riley's thigh for a more interesting, stimulating experience. She wondered why he bothered when the movie was about to end, but she looked over and smiled at him anyway. He smiled back, that famous Stokes smile that had grown on her so much the past couple of months. What she wouldn't give for Greg to disappear so she could have just a couple of hours alone with Nick.

Someone must have read someone's mind, because a few minutes later, the TV was off. Greg was somewhere else, and Nick was kissing her. She had no idea how it all happened so fast, but it was happening, and she liked it. Nick was holding her face in his hands and kissing her hard, and then he was holding her hair and kissing her face, then he was biting her lip and his hands were traveling down her body.

"Look," he whispered in her ear. "Greg went into the bedroom. I'm going to take you in there now. We've talked about it, and we think...we think you'd be open to...there's something we need to explore..."

"You don't have to explain," she whispered back. "I understand, and I'll participate-as long as I get adequate time with you."

"Oh, I'll make sure that happens," he said, and licked her earlobe. He grinned when it made her shiver. "You like that? That's just the beginning."

She paused for a moment and said, "He really means a lot to you, doesn't he?"

Nick nodded. "We've been through so much together over the years. He stayed with me in the hospital after I was abducted-2 whole weeks, when he wasn't working, he was with me at the hospital. And then when he had the incident with Demetrius James, I tried to return the favor. This is a hard job, Riley, and you gotta have people's backs. He's always had mine."

Riley wanted to ask more, wanted to say more, but instead she kissed him.

She kissed him, hard, and let herself enjoy the few seconds of alone time they had before this great experiment happened. She knew it would be awkward between them later. She knew their cramped office would be a strange place to be around for a while after this happened. But she also knew that there was something going on between Nick and Greg that had been left unexplored for many years, and if they needed her to intervene, she would do what needed to be done.

Nick led her to the bedroom. He had a king-sized bed that looked very inviting. Greg must have thought so, too, because he was already in the middle of it. Nick instructed Riley to get on the bed. He stuck his iPod in the stereo dock and put it on random. The first song to come on was some Garth Brooks song that Riley figured Nick probably knew all the words to. Nick quickly went to the next song, which was mellow and sexy and satisfying. Much like Riley knew Nick would be in bed.

Before Nick made it to the bed, Greg surprised Riley by pulling her over to him and kissing her hard. It wasn't the same as Nick's kiss; it didn't mean as much. But it felt good, and it was in the spirit of things. So she kissed him back.

Nick soon joined them, and watched the kissing happen. Riley turned to him and they kissed. Greg reached under Riley's shirt and unhooked her bra, and warm hand cupped her breast. Greg tweaked a nipple with his thumb, and she let out a small moan.

Both men were focusing on her. For a while, it seemed to be a contest to see who could make her moan the most. Nick took her shirt and bra off and instantly had a nipple in his mouth. Greg didn't want to be left out, so he latched on, too. Now, this was a different feeling altogether, and one that Riley certainly enjoyed. It felt good. It wasn't like her to do anything like this; she'd only been with 3 other men in her life, but it felt...necessary. It felt like maybe they had to do this in order to get along the way they were meant to. Riley didn't question _it_ , whatever _it_ was.

But when Nick started to unzip her jeans, she grabbed his hand. He looked surprised.

"I want to see you guys kiss," she said, knowing that if she didn't make it happen, it never would. And she knew they needed it to happen,

"Riley, come on-"

"Do it," she whispered. "Do it now, and then I'll give both of you something special."

It took a while. Greg moved closer to Nick. Nick moved closer to Greg. They chuckled. Nick started to say something, but Greg said, "I know, man. You don't have to..." and then it happened. Riley watched, intrigued, as they came closer and closer and finally their lips met. It was a quick kiss at first, and they quickly pulled away. But there was something magnetic between them and they came together again.

Riley had no idea watching two men kiss could be this hot. She couldn't look away. They were gripping each other forcefully, consuming each other's souls with just one long kiss. Riley couldn't imagine everything these guys had been through with each other over the years.

When it finally ended, and it did not end quickly, they turned around to look at her. She grinned and crawled back over to them.

"Take each other's pants off," she ordered. When they started to protest, she said, "Just do it."

Greg took his time unzipping Nick's jeans, or maybe his hands were just shaking from nerves. Nick didn't even unzip or unbutton Greg's pants, he just pulled them straight off. Riley nodded with approval and said, "Okay, who first?"

"Nick," Greg said.

So Riley stuck her hand in Nick's underwear and retrieved a very sizeable dick. Both she and Greg said, "Damn!" Nick shrugged, but looked very satisfied with himself. Riley wasn't the biggest fan of giving head, but she wanted to suck this dick. She had to know how it tasted. So she did.

Nick moaned when her lips touched his dick. It took her a few tries, but sooner or later she was deep-throating the entire length of Nick's impressive manhood. She didn't even notice Greg taking her pants off until she felt him pull aside her underwear and stick his finger inside her. She moaned loudly, which only turned Nick on more.

Riley knew Nick was enjoying her skills. Riley also knew Greg wanted a turn, but they were not at the comfortable point for that yet. So she continued to lick, suck, tug, and devour Nick's cock just the way he liked. And when she could tell he was right at the brink, he made her stop.

"Lay down," he demanded. She did. Nick took her panties off and started kissing her from top to bottom. Greg watched as Nick bit her lip, sucked her neck, kissed her stomach, and licked her thighs. He made his way up to her pussy, and then performed magic. Riley figured Nick knew his way around a pussy, because he was doing all the right things. He stuck a finger inside of her and licked her clit slowly, and when she moaned, he did it faster. His finger was pumping in and out while his tongue was licking up and down. Greg took the opportunity to take his cock out and present it to Riley, who took it in her mouth and sucked while her clit was getting sucked simultaneously.

For a long time, the only sound in Nick's bedroom was moans, sighs and gasps. Every once in a while, Nick and Greg would stop what they were doing and share a long, sensual kiss. Eventually Riley moved to the side and shrugged when they looked at her. "Your turn," was all she said. So they kissed, and kissed some more. They were both naked, and seemed to be avoiding touching each other at all. But Riley kept shaking her head when they looked back at her for direction, and eventually they got the point. But they continued to hesitate, and Riley was getting the feeling that this wasn't meant to happen yet. Greg took a deep breath, exhaled, and then whispered something in Nick's ear. Nick said, "Its okay. Another time." And then Riley knew it was time to get back in.

She was disappointed that they didn't take it to the next level, but not surprised. At least they'd taken the first step. They couldn't be expected to go for it all at once. Plus, now she was hornier than she'd ever been, and she needed someone inside of her.

Nick sensed this was the case. He got on top of her, rubbing his dick on her clit while Greg played with her nipples. This seemed to last for hours, so she said, "Do it."

Nick shook his head.

"Come on, Nick! Stop teasing me!"

"Tell me what you want."

"I want you inside of me!"

"What do you want inside of you?"

"I want your cock!"

"Beg for it," he said. She remembered the conversation she had with Greg about begging for his book, and she knew he told Nick about it. She tried shaking her head; denying him of his wish. But he looked very serious when he said again, "Beg for it."

"I want it," she said quietly. "I want-"

"Louder," Nick demanded. "I want to know how much you want it!"

"I would do anything to have you inside of me right now," she moaned.

This satisfied him, and so he satisfied her. He stuck his incredible cock inside of her tight, warm pussy. They both moaned as the friction overtook them. Riley motioned to Greg and he willingly let her have his cock, and she sucked it hard while she got fucked within an inch of her life.

Riley had great lovers before, but Nick was the best she'd ever had. He had so much intensity and force and testosterone, and she got lost in the heat. They all moved together in a rhythmic rush. She came more than she could keep track of, and when Nick reached his brink, Greg immediately took his place. He wasn't as forceful or passionate as Nick, but he was sweeter and nicer, and made sure he did all he could to get Riley to explode in passion. Nick watched, and when Greg was nearing his orgasm, he came close and kissed Greg hard, which pushed Greg to the finish.

When everyone was satisfied, they all sunk under the covers, naked and sweaty. Riley and Nick faced each other, and Greg was on the other side of Riley. She could feel both their dicks against her naked flesh, and she found herself wanting more of both of them. Instead, they fell asleep like this; a deep sleep with no dreams. Greg woke up first and snuck out. Riley woke up an hour before they were supposed to be at work, but she didn't rush home to take a shower. Instead, she woke up Nick by caressing his dick and kissing him softly. He grew hard very quickly, and soon they were making love. It was gentler this time; there was a purpose that neither of them understood. And when it was over, they got dressed without taking a shower. "So I can smell you on me the rest of the night," he told her.

While she drove to work, she remembered a dream she just had. It was only a fleeting memory, and she had to think hard just so it would stick in her brain. In her dream, she was climbing a mountain. In the distance, she saw a lion. Riley took that to mean pride. And even though some might not see it exactly the same way, she knew it meant that she was proud of herself. Because finally, she had brought her dreams into reality. She really was the girl she dreamed about in the beginning, and that was okay with her.

* * *

It didn't happen often, these rendezvous of theirs. But sometimes, after a long day of crime and blood and death, they'd take out the stress with each other. Nick and Greg eventually took their passion to the next level while Riley watched, fascinated and jealous. She and Nick didn't start a relationship, but maybe they would someday. For now, just sharing occasional passionate sessions of ravenous sex was enough. But sometimes while they were in their shared office, she'd be doing paperwork or catching up on reading, and he'd come over and whisper, "Eternity." She wasn't sure exactly what it meant, but it still always made her smile.


End file.
